By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Saturday 10 January 2026, runs through 17 January 2026 RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

The best thing about this jukebox musical loosely retelling the Dracula story via the medium of acapella hits is the entrancing blend of voices on show.

• Read on for reasons including how Dracapella was more pain in the neck for us than giving eternal life

Everything we hear onstage is performed live by its 8-strong cast which includes Alexander Belgarion Hackett performing as ABH Beatbox who creates the rhythms the covers are performed to and sound effects augmenting the production.

At this performance Jez Bond, this venue’s artistic director and co-writer and director of Dracapella, takes to the stage before proceedings to explain an understudy will be performing with the aid of a book because The Greatest Showman star Settle (Fly More Than You Fall, Southwark Playhouse and pictured below) slipped on ice and is on crutches as a result.

It’s a shame because Settle’s voice is always a joy to behold and we wish her a speedy recovery ahead of her starring role as Mrs President at Charing Cross Theatre which is due to have its 1st preview currently 23 January 2026.

Back to Dracapella and it boasts a familiar cast with Ako Mitchell (Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre) in the titular role having a lot of fun with a running joke about his inability to transform into a bat to make a dramatic departure from a scene at its close.

Stephen Ashfield is estate agent Harker sent to Transylvania to complete a deal with Dracula and he brings a mischievousness and comic timing which saw him win an Olivier for The Book Of Mormon.

His wife Mina, who becomes the object of Dracula’s affection, is also played by an Olivier winner thanks to Lorna Want (Beautiful – The Carole King musical, Aldwych Theatre) and you can perhaps start to see why the singing here is so on point.

Special mention to Ciarán Dowd in a multitude of roles who seems to be having the most fun of all the cast onstage and it’s infectious especially during limited audience interaction or when trying to down a large mouthful of marshmellows.

The humour here is slapstick, the setting reminiscent of the dreaded rehearsal room and, while Christmas feels like the perfect time to stage this near-pantomime with crowdpleasing songs like Survivor’s Eye Of The Tiger and Queen’s Somebody To Love with a helping of dad jokes, it feels a little past its best-before date past 12th night.

It has to be said however that this audience, with a large influx of American tourists, were laughing loud and long and having a far better time with it than we were.

A high was a full-blooded rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s always magnificent Holding Out For A Hero but Dracapella was more pain in the neck for us than giving eternal life.

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy Park Theatre Tickets
• Have you seen Keala Settle before and what did you think of her? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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